Interaction of primary mast cells with Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu stricto): role in transmission and dissemination in C57BL/6 mice

Table 1 Impact of mast cell deficiency on B. burgdorferi (s.s.) 297 dissemination

Day/ Organ	Joints (%)^a	Heart (%)^a	Ear (%)^a
C57BL/6 (10 weeks)
Day 3 (n = 8)	0	0	0
Day 5 (n = 8)	0	0	0
Day 7 (n = 5)	60	0	0
Day 15 (n = 8)	75	0	0
Kit ^{Wsh −/−} (10 weeks)
Day 3 (n = 7)	0	0	0
Day 5 (n = 10)	10	0	0
Day 7 (n = 12)	50	0	0
Day 15 (n = 10)	90	0	10

Wild type or Kit^{Wsh −/−} mice were infected intradermally with Borrelia burgdorferi 297 strain (10³ bacteria/100 μl) by syringe inoculation. The dissemination of Borrelia was determined by in vitro culture and by qPCR performed on the different distant organs: the joint, the heart and the ear
^aThe percentage of positive samples to Borrelia is calculated according to 5 mice minimum per group
Abbreviations: n number of mice per group, day day of infection

ISSN: 1756-3305